Accident Details
On August 25, 2010, at 1100 eastern daylight time, a Universal Stinson 108, registration N97316, sustained substantial damage after colliding with trees and then the ground near Robert F. Swinnie Airport (PHH) in Andrews, South Carolina. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant and the owner/operator of the aircraft, was killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The exact departure time from PHH is unknown, and there were no witnesses to the accident.
Examination of the accident site by an FAA inspector revealed that the airplane impacted the ground approximately 100 to 200 yards left of the departure end of runway 18, in a densely wooded area. The aircraft came to rest with its underside against a tree at about a 75-degree angle, left wing low and nose down.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The four-seat, high-wing, single-engine airplane (serial number 108-316) was manufactured with an airworthiness date of September 18, 1955, and was powered by a Franklin 6A4165, 150-horsepower engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed on May 6, 2010.
The 66-year-old pilot held a student pilot certificate issued November 18, 2009, along with a third-class medical certificate bearing a requirement for corrective lenses. On his most recent medical application, he reported 200 total hours in all airplanes. His personal logbook was not located.
Examination Findings
Wreckage examination showed most of the airplane intact except for the left and right wing tips, tail wheel, and right main landing gear assembly. The impact shifted the nose from the engine firewall forward to the left. In the cockpit, push-pull tubes were extended and bent to the right. The left fuel tank was empty with no leaks; the right fuel tank contained approximately 1 to 3 gallons. The engine fuel system could not be examined due to impact damage. Damage to the engine and propeller was consistent with the engine not producing power at impact. According to Universal Aircraft Corporation Stinson technical support, the unusable fuel for each tank was 2 gallons.
No evidence of any preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was found during the engine and airframe examination.
Weather
Recorded weather at Georgetown County Airport (GGE), 13 nautical miles southeast of PHH, at 1055 showed wind from 020 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 1,100 feet above ground level, temperature 26°C, dew point 23°C, and altimeter 29.94 inches of mercury.
Pilot Medical and Toxicology
An autopsy on August 26, 2010, listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Forensic toxicology detected no carbon monoxide or cyanide in blood, no ethanol in vitreous, and no drugs in urine.